The Bucs And Patrick Peterson
March 9th, 2021
Free agent CB Patrick Peterson.
So eight-time Pro Bowl corner Patrick Peterson will very likely hit the free agent market. And one national stenographer claims it’s a good shot his next employer is Team Glazer and the Bucs.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports claims there are just too many connections between Patrick Peterson and the Bucs for Tampa Bay not to be major players for Peterson.
Old friend Bruce Arians runs the show in Tampa Bay, and ex-Cardinals assistant Todd Bowles runs his defense. The Bucs aren’t in dire need of a CB upgrade, but they’re also all in on running it back. Plus, the Florida connection!
Well, there is one reason why Joe cannot see Peterson coming to Tampa. The very same argument Benjamin uses for Peterson to wind up here could have been used on Honey Badger two years ago. And yes, Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians did talk to Honey Badger (Tyrann Mathieu), and Honey Badger was very interested in the Bucs.
Problem was, the Bucs didn’t have the disposable cash laying around — which is what Honey Badger told Joe at Super Bowl Media Night prior to the Chiefs playing the 49ers. The Bucs probably have less money now than back then because the Bucs are trying to retain their Big 8 free agents.
Unless Peterson wants to play for peanuts as a backup, it’s unlikely he will be wearing a Bucs uniform.
Think about it: The Bucs in three straight games shut down Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Pat Mahomes to win the Super Bowl with young, inexpensive corners Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean.
Sure the Bucs could use depth at corner, but an old veteran probably won’t be playing ahead of Davis, SMB and Dean. And Joe doesn’t think Peterson wants to be a backup.
March 9th, 2021 at 12:08 am
I just don’t see it. Not that I wouldnt mind having a savvy vet like him in the DB room, but we’re already cash strapped and even if he wants to chase a championship, hes still gonna cost more than we have.
March 9th, 2021 at 12:12 am
Never gunna happen, fake news…
March 9th, 2021 at 12:15 am
Not the same Pat-Pete he use to be. It will be interesting to see if he transfers to safety or nickel.
March 9th, 2021 at 12:21 am
I keep hearing about how we don’t have money and I agree. However, how’s New Orleans putting together a team next year?
March 9th, 2021 at 12:28 am
This is what I’m saying. Why pay $20m to a guy with no record. 2 yrs is to suspect. So you wait for the market to open. A lot of players can be sign for cheap. As long as we retain David and suh we should be fine in defense.
But when signing this free agents Bruce has to inspect them they know how to walk and bend their knee. Also very important if they can run.
We save money by Picking up parts in the junk yards. And load up in weapons for Brady to be happy.
March 9th, 2021 at 12:41 am
Bucs didn’t have Brady when they went for crybaby badger. As shaq will find out soon players from other teams will be happy to move south for much less. So fit in or get out. Dont overpay for anyone.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:54 am
A good veteran presence in the defensive backfield would have helped last year especially during the rough month of November. It would be to the benefit of the Bucs to kick the tires on Peterson. GO BUCS!!!!
March 9th, 2021 at 4:04 am
“But an old veteran probably won’t be playing ahead of Davis, SMB and Dean.”
ROFLMAO!!!!!!
This has got to be the funniest thing ever written on this site.
Peterson is LIGHT YEARS a better corner than any of those young guys.
Those young guys all repeatedly were burned, caught out of position, and outplayed by so many WRs during last season. We improved our pass rush with Vea back and Bowles put together some perfect game plans in the playoffs; except for that Washington game.
It’s delusional to think Peterson wouldn’t start over SMB or Dean on in any team in the NFL. And he’d probably consistently get the nod over Davis as well, who many believe is highly overrated.
The Bucs got very LUCKY that our secondary wasn’t a bigger liability that knocked us out of the playoffs.
March 9th, 2021 at 4:15 am
i watched him getting toasted all game last season against…
i think it was the rams…
straight up burnt toast…no butter…nothing
March 9th, 2021 at 4:16 am
and he wouldn’t agree to play for league minimum and fill the role of ross cockrell
March 9th, 2021 at 6:25 am
BradyBucs: Peterson WAS better a few years ago. That was a few years ago, though.
March 9th, 2021 at 6:38 am
The secondary started playing well after the washington playoff game
They struggled in the regular season if you remember . Smb blew up in playoffs but his regular season was not so good.
Hopefully the playoffs gave them the confidence and experience that was needed to take the jump next year. I think it did and we are so young
I would love to have dean ,smb , davis and peterson as the big 4. Lets face it. Many teams split them out 4 wide.
Any time cockwell came into the game he was picked on. He did ok as a 4th db but no reason all 4 guys could not get plenty of time. Play your hot guys. Remember the packers playoff game. Carlton davis got torched in every big play. He had a horrible game . And guys get injuries. Things happen and 4 strong corners would be amazing. But unless peterson is playing for vet minimum, we do not have the cap. We need to keep our own.
March 9th, 2021 at 6:39 am
Your last paragraph says it all Joe. Bucs NEED another quality corner because Bowles very often plays 3 CBs. Right now we’ve got 3 (Davis, Dean, SMB) but our depth (Cockrell, Miller, Ryan Smith) could use improving. Drafting a CB in a middle or lower round is a crapshoot at best, and it’d probably be a couple years at least before he really produced, if ever.
Patrick Peterson isn’t the answer though. He’s still playing at a very high level IMO, but he’ll be 31 this summer & will be looking for 1 more good payday. Market Value is projected to be $10.4 mil based on a 3-year contract & that sounds reasonable.
Our problem is that Vea & JPP & Davis & Whitehead will all be up for new contracts in 2022, plus we’ll undoubtedly need to replace a couple of other key players on defense (like Gholston who’ll be a FA?). IOW, it only gets harder next year, and siphoning off $10 mil now will make it that much harder to sign the rest of those guys.
March 9th, 2021 at 7:13 am
2020 PFF ratings for the CB’s mentioned. You can take the PFF rankings for what it’s worth, it’s an inexact science (I think Davis is better than Dean).
Jamel Dean, 76.6
Carlton Davis, 67.6
Sean Murphy-Bunting, 55.9
Patrick Peterson, 55.2
It should be noted that all 3 of the Bucs young CB’s played better when it mattered the most, the playoffs.
March 9th, 2021 at 7:16 am
All of these pundits should be required to say who they would cut to bring in these FAs…..
March 9th, 2021 at 7:38 am
Man these talking heads sure like to make crap up to justify their jobs
March 9th, 2021 at 8:38 am
Not gonna happen……Is a mix of fake and stupid news…..Seems more like an agents operation to keep value on a player that is clearly loosing value…Every year we see the same thing……Time lo learn
March 9th, 2021 at 8:38 am
A distinct possibility. Remember the cap is crap. If they wanted to they could make it work. Real cash spent
March 9th, 2021 at 8:53 am
I think Arians said it best in one of his press conferences when he said “We want to keep our guys” from the Super Bowl team. I think any free agent addition from outside would be a minor one, like a James White.
March 9th, 2021 at 9:34 am
Don’t need him.
March 9th, 2021 at 10:10 am
If vet FAs need to take less cash in 2021 they will come to Tampa on a cheap one year deal to chase a title.
Done right, the Bucs could be amazing.
March 9th, 2021 at 6:07 pm
My how the narrative has changed! All we did was wring our hands over these young cornerbacks through the last two seasons and then they hit second round of the playoffs and it’s like suddenly they’re solid and everything’s good.
I truly hope that’s the case. I think a lot more of it has to do with Whitehead coming around and Antoine Winfield Jr Superman safety showing up than people realize.
March 10th, 2021 at 10:47 am
I love how suddenly anyone good around the league is linked and/or interested in the Bucs. Fun times.